Birds of a Feather
by AndiKaneUnderwood
Summary: Jake knew from the moment he stepped foot inside that Home, that his life wouldn't be the same and that he'd never again feel like he belonged without the familliar Peculiars at his side.
1. Hit Me

Hit Me

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

 **So, this is a modern A/U where their Peculiarities are their Superpowers and they're very powerful. Everything else stays the same, but it's also Alpha/Beta/Omega.**

 _Miss Peregrine: Ymbren, can control time and turn into a Peregrine Falcon, Alpha_

 _Ethan Bloom: Controls air, can float, Alpha_

 _Jewel Portman: Can see through any type cloaking and deception, Alpha_

 _Olive Elephanta: Controls fire and heat, Omega_

 _Enoch O'Connor: Can take the life of one thing and give it to another, Omega_

 _Horace Sumnusson: Prophetic dreams, Beta_

 _Fiona Frauenfeld: Controls Earth, Beta_

 _Hugh Apiston: Controls and communicates with bees, Beta_

 _Bronwyn Bruntley: Insanely Strong, Alpha_

 _Millard Nullings: Completely invisible, Beta_

 _Claire Densmore: Extra mouth at her neck, too young to be designated_

 _Twins: Direct descendants of Medusa, too young to be designated_

 _MPHFPC~MPHFPC~MPHFPC_

"Hit me." Jewel Portman snapped one day as she entered the home and threw herself down on the couch. Her face was the picture of rage, eyes narrowed, lips pulled back, teeth bared. Oh, _someone_ had pissed her off.

Her best friend, Enoch, raised a single eyebrow in response, hardly looking up from his work (stitching, a job for petty cash). "What?" He asked.

Jewel looked at him. "You heard me. Punch me." She snapped.

Enoch did look up at that, he blinked twice, almost sleepily. "Punch you?" He repeated slowly, as if he hadn't heard.

"Yes, punch me. In the face. Did you not hear me?" Jewel asked, actually standing up and moving over.

She was just itching for a fight, Enoch could tell, her fingers where twitching and her hands shook. She was _dying_ to hit something, but didn't want to start it or hurt anyone.

Enoch's lips quirked minutely before his face schooled into the same blank and vaguely bored look he'd kept when Jewel had first been introduced to him in the fourth grade.

"I always here _punch me in the face_ when you're speaking, but it's usually subtext." He replied.

Those just happened to be the magic words that tipped the Alpha over the edge and she rolled her eyes. "For the _love_ of-" Jewel cut off and then pulled back and shot a jab right into the bridge of Enoch's nose.

The bruise was already forming when Enoch pulled back his hand with a groan. He looked at Jewel with surprise, then his eyes narrowed and he stood. "Oh, you _little_!" He pounced, using Jewel's own advantage of surprise against her as he threw himself against her shoulder and brought her to the ground.

It went like that for a while, Jewel gaining an advantage when she hit Enoch's side, then Enoch gaining the advantage back when he managed to get a hit in the stomach and knocking all the air from Jewel's lungs.

It continued on until Jewel finally pinned Enoch beneath her by keeping his wrists above his head with her hands and straddling his waist.

Both breathed heavily for a solid minute, then Enoch huffed a breathless laugh. "Is this an invitation, Portman?" He teased, testing the hold on his wrists with a few tugs. The hands held firm.

Jewel leaned down. "Maybe." She drew out the vowel.

They didn't stopped staring at each other's eyes. Sharp, russet brown into bright, cornflower blue.

Then Jewel leaned down and pressed her lips to Enoch's.

It was messy, full of tongue and teeth, but that didn't make it any less special.

It didn't mean that they didn't feel the promise between them.

It didn't matter if the villains out there where awful and tried to take over the world.

It didn't matter if the two heroes on the floor of Miss Peregrine's Home for Heroes lost the fight.

As long as they had each other, everything would be okay.

And if the pair grinned at each other and hid behind closed doors a little more than usual, then no one was the wiser.


	2. Help Me (I'm Drowning)

Help Me, I'm Drowning

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

 **Alright. This is Alpha/Beta/Omega. And I'm thinking on a few other A/Us while I wait to get money for the books. Don't judge me, I'm not perfect.**

Sometimes, it really doesn't matter when, Enoch doesn't sleep.

He stays in his room, creating his army of dolls. He puts the hearts in them, he watches them dance, watches them move where he tells them to with grace fitting of a swan.

He watches until his eyes cross and blur and he's literally falling asleep standing up.

But he doesn't sleep.

Because he knows if he sleeps, he'll see two of Jewel Portman.

One was his Alpha Jewel who took care to be there when Enoch needed her and knew exactly how to help him when he was floundering for a hold of _something_ he couldn't quite grasp or was in an awful mood and needed to be left alone.

The other was a liar. A mysterious man in Jewel's skin that none of the Peculiar Children had personally met, but knew to stay away from lest he tried to have them killed, with pale white eyes that cheated and manipulated and hurt everything the man touched.

He never knows which is which, but he knows that he needs to choose between them. Needs to know which one to kill. Because it's Enoch who holds the crossbow and it's Enoch who holds the real Jewel's life in his hands.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

In reality, the situation has been this.

Enoch had met up with Emma in the halls, questioning Jewel's whereabouts because he needed to know that she was okay.

Emma tells him that she doesn't know, that they need to find Jewel because Barron could seriously hurt her and they'd be damned if Jewel was killed on their watch.

They roamed the halls as quickly as they could, calling out Jewel's name as they went. They check doors, locked rooms, every place they could find.

They finally found her, but something was wrong.

Last Enoch checked, Jewel's Peculiarity wasn't the ability to duplicate herself at will.

They both tried to convince the pair that _it's me, I'm the real Jewel. He's lying, Emma. Enoch, you've gotta believe me,_ and Enoch's weapon continually went back and forth between the pair.

He trusted Emma to tell him which one was real because in that moment, it was Emma who knew Jewel best.

Enoch still hesitated though, not wanting to kill anyone. He gave life, he'd never taken it before.

"Wait. I can prove it!" Spoke the Jewel on the right and the crossbow went to her. She looked at Enoch with a spark in her eyes that was familiar as the depth behind Enoch's own.

Enoch nodded, just a quick jerk of the head. A _get on with it so I can shoot one of you_ look was on his face and Enoch could've sworn he saw this Jewel's mouth twitch.

She went on to prove that she was in fact the real Jewel's when she said that she could see them, the Hollows.

And Barron was murdered by his own creations.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

In Enoch's dreams in was different.

He was alone, always alone.

He was in the same room. Same floor, same walls, same cage behind the chairs.

There was always two Jewel's and he always had to choose one to die.

He never knew which one was the right one. He never made the shot. He couldn't make himself kill her.

She was everything to him, how could he?

They always tried to convince him, spouting knowledge about Miss Peregrine and the other kids and so many things it made his head dizzy just to think about it.

They kept going like that until it evolved into personal things about Enoch that he'd never breathed a word of to anyone but Jewel.

He continued to point the cross bow between the two, tears born of frustration being wiped away from his eyes.

Enoch never knows which one it is.

And he can never choose.

Because he truly doesn't know which one is which. And he doesn't want to shoot the wrong one.

 _Peculiar_ _~Peculiar~_ _Peculiar_

It's another nightmare.

He knew he shouldn't have let Jewel coax him to bed that night. He _knew_ it wasn't going to be a good night.

Damn it.

He ran down the halls with the cross bow in his hands and sweat poring down his back.

He crashed into the room. As expected, there where the two Jewel's and both tried to convince Enoch that _I'm the real Jewel, Enoch. You've gotta believe me, Enoch, please!_

He switched his cross bow between the two and found he couldn't choose.

He couldn't stop, he couldn't feel, and as his vision blurred, he couldn't breath either.

Enoch backed up, away from them and his back hit the wall, which he ended up sliding down when he lost his footing.

He didn't know how long he stayed like that until he felt a warm hand laid on his shoulder.

He didn't look up. He _couldn't_ look up. Too afraid that it would be the wrong Jewel and he'd have killed her.

Too afraid to kill his Alpha.

There was a voice. It was soft, warm, inviting.

"Enoch. You okay?" It asked.

Enoch shook his head. "It isn't real. It isn't real." He murmured to himself, trying to convince himself that this was a dream and it would all go away. He just had to _wake up._

"Enoch, look at me." Something in the person's voice demanded his attention and Enoch understood that the tone in the voice had been an Alpha Tone, which didn't work on Peculiars unless the Alpha/Omega was their SoulMate.

Enoch didn't have a choice but to comply, so russet brown met cornflower blue.

It was Jewel. Of course it was. Enoch would know the face anywhere, like the back of a heart, like... Well, like a _lover's_ face.

"Enoch. You know me. You know I'm real. _This_ is real and I'm right here. You _know_ that." Jewel said, giving him that tantalizing smile Enoch could never resist.

Then the other Jewel spoke his name in that soft way of hers, the way that said _listen to me, I'm here to help you_ and _I need you to trust me_ all at the same time.

Enoch couldn't have disobeyed, though he was able. He tore his eyes away from one and met the eyes of the other.

There was a spark of flame behind her eyes. Something familiar. Something he knew. Something he didn't see in the other's eyes.

And maybe it was because he knew those eyes. The eyes he could pick out of a line up or out of a crowd. Maybe it was because of the now painfully tight grip on his shoulder when he knew that Jewel would never, _will_ never, intentionally hurt him, but he shakes out of the other Jewel's grip and stands on unsteady feet.

"I'm sorry." Is all Jewel would say, but given that Enoch isn't entirely focused on anything but her and that he _finally_ knows which one is which, it's safe to say that he doesn't hear her.

He reaches her, brings his hands to her face, gently gripping her cheeks to be sure that she's who she looks like.

When he finally finds what he's looking for, he sighs and smiles a small, relieved smile, and promptly picks up the crossbow. He then turns and shoots the other Jewel right in the heart.

A small weight is lifted when he sees black go to brown and white go to black, when he sees the body he'd shot turn to Barron, instead of staying like Jewel.

 _Peculiar_ _~Peculiar_ _~Peculiar_

In the real world, Enoch slowly wakes to find the bed empty of any other souls except his own.

He gets up to look for his lover, but finds only a note with his name penned on the front in sloppy, slanted writing.

 _Enoch,_

 _Sorry I'm not here, but Miss Peregrine said she'd need help with a special errand today and I volunteered._

 _I understand that you had nightmares and I hope last night helped, but if it didn't I'm sure we'll find something to help soon._

 _I love you, death-kid._

 _Yours,_

 _Jewel_

Enoch felt a real smile grace his lips for the first time in three weeks.

When he went down to breakfast, the note was pinned neatly to a board he reserved specifically for notes on his most important things.

He supposed the others wouldn't mind if he was late.

Just this once.


	3. Promises, Promises

Promises, Promises

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

 **AU: Secret Organization, Modern**

 _Once upon a time, there lived a young Alpha. This Alpha was very strong and very wise, but also very brave._

 _Now, the brave Alpha was the leader of a small group of courageous people who wanted to overthrow a mean king threatening to kill them all._

 _The group of people had been able to stay alive for a long time, defeating the king no matter how many people the king sent against them._

 _One day, the king sent an assassin against the group._

 _The group fought the assassin off, but it took a lot of their supplies. So the young Alpha went into the markets to get more supplies._

 _While he was there, he met a young Omega and fell in love._

 _They talked for many hours, until the king's guards came and started smashing the market place and the vendors who sold their wares there._

 _When the guards left, the Alpha stayed behind to help the Omega pick up his stand._

 _The Alpha tried to convince the Omega to come with him so he would be safe from the king and his guards, away from the war going on around the markets._

 _The Omega refused._

 _You see, the Omega wasn't just any Omega, he was the king's own son and he didn't want to leave his father or his people._

 _The Omega confided in Alpha that the king didn't even know that the Omega was in the markets selling things. The Omega had snuck away from the king because of the king's overprotective ways._

 _The Alpha thought about that for a bit, then offered to walk the Omega home later._

 _The Omega was only too happy to agree._

 _When the Alpha came back to walk the Omega home, she asked if she could meet the Omega in the markets again the next day._

 _The Omega smiled as he agreed._

 _It went on like this for many months. The Alpha would come visit the Omega in the markets and ask the Omega to come with her, but the Omega always refused. The Alpha would walk the Omega home and ask to come visit him tomorrow._

 _Then, one day, a few years later, the Omega found out about his father's plots. The king tried to tell the Omega that it was the only way to rule the kingdom completely, but the Omega wouldn't hear of it._

 _The Omega snuck off to the markets earlier than usual. The Alpha, having sensed the Omega's unease, also came to the markets early._

 _They left together for the woods. When the Omega was sure they wouldn't be overheard, he told the Alpha what he'd found out. The Alpha listened quietly and provided comfort when the Omega sought for it._

 _The Omega told the Alpha that he was scared and didn't know what to do._

 _The Alpha told the Omega not to worry, that they would be okay._

 _The Omega asked to stay with the Alpha._

 _The Alpha readily agreed._

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

"Mommy?" asked a small, childish voice. "What happened next, Mommy?"

Jewel Portman chuckled, "Well, the king came looking for his son, but wasn't able to find him before he was overthrown by the Alpha leader and her group. The Alpha and Omega got married many years ago and lived happily ever after."

The child, a little girl about seven years old, gazed up at the Alpha with a look of hushed awe. "Did the Omega ever know about the Alpha's group?"

Jewel smiled, "The Alpha didn't tell him. She wanted to keep him safe. Eventually, he figured it out and he was very angry with her, but they worked it out. He understood why she'd done what she'd done and she understood why he was so upset." Jewel leaned down and kissed the little girl's forehead. "Now, you go to sleep, lovely. Big day tomorrow. Good night, Alyssa."

"Goodnight, Mommy." Alyssa replied, curling up on her side and going to sleep.

Jewel left the room with a smile and headed for her own bedroom.

She gently opened the door and crept in, shedding her jacket and work boots as she did. Then she crawled under the covers and sighed, wrapping her arms around her partner.

Said partner hummed as he transfered from asleep to awake.

Jewel pulled him closer as he yawned. "Jewel?" he murmured, voice thick with sleep.

"Hey, baby." Jewel nuzzled into his hair. "Go back to sleep. You've been up for days, you need it."

Enoch Portman snuggled closer and nodded. "Surgery is hard." he said absently.

"I'm sure." Jewel agreed.

"Maybe I'd have been better off going with that teaching job I was offered."

"You'd never have been happy there, Enoch." Jewel ran her fingers over Enoch's arms as the smaller Omega yawned and nodded again.

She felt the moment Enoch drifted off. Curling closer, Jewel closed her eyes and slipped into sleep.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Jewel woke up slowly almost six hours later.

She didn't know what had woken her up, but she intended to find out.

So she gently untangled herself from her Mate and stood. Nothing was wrong in their bedroom, so Jewel gently pressed a kiss to Enoch's fluffy brown hair and moved on.

She passed her daughter's room after stopping long enough to check through the door.

Then she heard a knock on her front door.

Jewel allowed her teeth to sharpen and began making her way to the front, hoping it wasn't who she thought it was.

She quickly scented the air for hostile intent, but found none, so she peaked through the door hole and gasped, jerking open the door and pulling the people outside into her home.

Once the door was bolted back, Jewel turned to face her unexpected guests. "What the Hell are you doing here?"

The first visitor, a blonde Alpha female with grey eyes, spoke up. "We caught word that Senator Asshole is back."

"We just wanted you to know if case he came around." added in the other visitor, a ginger Omega male with sea green eyes.

"I've retired, Emma, and the Senator never saw my face, why the Hell would he come here?" Jewel growled softly.

"Maybe because his kid lives here, asshat!" Emma snapped back, "And maybe he never saw your face, but he's fought with you enough that he knows your voice."

Jewel sighed, growling under her breath. "Well, what do you want me to do?"

"We just want you to stay safe, Jewel." Oliver, the Omega visitor, gently laid his hand on Jewel's shoulder.

Jewel nodded. "Neither of you should worry about me. What has Horace seen?"

"Nothing about Senator Asshole. Plenty about you and Enoch. Congrats on Alyssa, by the way." Emma held out her hand and Jewel shook it.

Jewel glanced up the stairs towards her bedroom. "Okay. Watch the Senator and call me if he even so much as _whispers_ Enoch's name. I want to know if he makes a move to reconciling with his remaining family. I'll let Enoch know in the morning. Post Fiona and Bronwyn as guards for my family when necessary. If anything happens, you call me in. Got it?"

Emma and Oliver nodded. "We got it, Boss."

Jewel sighed through her nose. "Good. Now, get out of here. Keep me posted."

Emma and Oliver left the Portman residence without another word.

Jewel sighed, folding her arms and letting her thought run.

She didn't regret her past, didn't regret meeting Enoch or leading the organisation against the Senator. Hell, she didn't even regret Enoch finding out.

But she regretted letting the Senator live.

Because Alyssa bedtime story wasn't just a story.

It was Jewel and Enoch's past, painted as a children's tale with all the worst details modified or completely pulled out.

When Enoch found out what his father _really_ did for a living, Senator O'Connor didn't just ask Enoch to join him, or tell him it was the only way. Senator O'Connor had to _physically beat_ Enoch to stop him from leaving that night.

When Enoch left for the markets early, he met Jewel and told her _everything_. Maybe Senator O'Connor had wanted to keep Enoch quiet, but he did a poor job. Because at that point, Enoch had five years worth of a foundation of trust with Jewel to fall back on.

Jewel shuddered to think of what may have happened if Enoch hadn't come to her that day.

When Enoch had asked if Jewel could take him away from his father, Jewel had been both ecstatic and hurt.

Ecstatic because by the time five years had past, Jewel was certain that Enoch was her SoulMate, and she was _elated_ that Enoch wanted to leave his abusive father and his past behind.

Hurt because maybe, in time, Enoch would've come to Jewel on his own and decided to stay with her. Now his father had pushed Enoch in that direction and Jewel wasn't angry with Enoch _being_ pushed; it was _how_ Enoch was pushed that made her so angry.

Jewel shook herself out of those thoughts and went back up the steps to her bedroom.

Slipping silently into her bedroom, Jewel gazed at her Omega with adoration in her eyes.

Enoch typically slept curled up in a ball on his side when he was at home, either in Jewel's arms or wrapped around her. He'd sprawled himself out as he slept and was hugging Jewel's pillow. On second glance, Enoch was actually semi-awake, at least enough to know that Jewel had left the bed.

"Enoch?" she murmured softly, just loud enough to catch his attention.

"Alpha," Enoch breathed, voice rough and accent thick.

Jewel smiled, "Why are you awake?" she asked, coming over and stroking his hair.

Enoch purred softly, an unusual thing, "You left. Missed you."

Jewel hummed, "Well, I'm back now, Enoch."

Enoch nodded sleepily. "Stay with me."

Jewel slipped into bed and wrapped her arms around her headstrong, independent Omega. "You're not usually this docile. Did something happen at work today?"

Enoch shook his head yes. "Saw my Da. He thought it was okay to use an Alpha's True Voice on me while I was at work. Security took care of him." Enoch wrapped his arms around Jewel's waist and buried his head in her neck.

"Why didn't you call me?" Jewel tugged on the Bond, which to Enoch was the mental equivalent to a pup gripping their parent's ears for attention.

"Didn't slip too far into Headspace. Didn't want to bother you. You where busy." Enoch hummed contentedly and purred softly.

Jewel sighed, burying her nose in Enoch's hair and breathing in his scent. Paperback books, honey, and apple turnovers. "You still should've called me. It could've had a bad effect on your Headspace."

"You're here now," Enoch murmured softly, "If something happens."

Jewel couldn't hold Enoch's decision against him. Not when Enoch knew himself better than Jewel knew him. Besides, way back when Enoch was still an O'Connor, before Jewel asked him to be her marriage partner (only to make it legal in the eyes of the law) Enoch had shown her that he was fiercely independent and he wouldn't bend to her will like a wilting flower.

Jewel remembered promising that she didn't want him to and he was perfectly capable of knocking the sense into her if she ever acted like that, _especially_ around time for her Rut; she gave him her full permission to do as needed if her instincts ever took too much control.

Thankfully, nothing like that had ever happened, but still.

"Yes, I'm here. And your father won't hurt you again, I won't let that happen while I'm around." Jewel nuzzled into Enoch's hair and smiled.

Enoch purred softly, scenting Jewel's neck with deep breaths and Jewel shivered under the sensation, "Promise?" Enoch asked, slowly falling back into sleep.

Jewel wondered briefly if Enoch's Beta father had tried more than hitting him. Because despite his independence and strong will, he still flinched when someone mentioned his father; even after ten years.

She quickly decided that if he did, then Enoch would tell her when he was ready for her to know and she'd handle what happened then.

Jewel hummed a lullaby and nodded, pressing a kiss to Enoch's temple as he drifted off again. "I promise."


	4. Hero

Hero

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

 **AU: Superhero, A/B/O**

 _"-News reports say that Team Go was on scene last night to fight off the Hollows and Mad Doctor-"_ _"-Go Team, consisting of the Flame Prince, Aero, Afterlife, and Invisible Bandit-"_ _"-Mass destruction, but thanks to combined efforts of the Go Team-"_ _"-Huge monsters came out of nowhere! I'm lucky to be alive! Thanks, Team Go-!"_

A remote slammed down in a coffee table as the TV went dark. A man with pure white eyes hunched over a table with a snarl on his face.

 _The Go Team._

Oh, they just wouldn't let up.

The man just couldn't believe that his Hollows had been defeated by his old nemesis and her bunch of _teenagers_.

 _Stupid_.

He needed to get better. He needed a new plan.

The man thought and thought. What could he do? How did he defeat The Peregrine and her band of misfits?

Then he came to him at the same time the broken bulb above his came alive and bathed the room in harsh yellow light.

He laughed maniacally.

"Oh, Peregrine. You've made an awful mistake."

A slow, shark-toothed smile spread across the man's face revealing pointed white teeth.

"I'm coming for you."

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Miss Alma Peregrine, headmistress of the School for Heroes, smiled as she observed four of her brightest students helping the younger kids with their powers.

They'd all done well, keeping up with crime, keeping their secrets.

She prayed they continued keeping the Hollows back. She never wanted them to meet the maker of the Hollows.

He was far too dangerous for her children to face, far too dangerous for anyone to face.

Alma shook her head, clearing those thoughts from her mind. She was being ridiculous. She needed to stop.

She focused back on her kids.

She focused on the way that Jewel took the Twins hands and led them through complicated moves that had her head spinning. Just in case their eyes were bound and they couldn't use their powers.

She watched how Emma would show Claire how bite and break skin, how to use Claire's first mouth as well as her second.

She observed Oliver's smile as Horace learned how to brighten his eyes to almost unbearable lights. As he learned how to project his Peculiarity and make people cower before it.

She examined Enoch's instruction as he guided Fiona to a patch of plants for her to practice on. Alma saw Enoch's lips twitch just a bit as Fiona grew roses and petunias out of a simple hedge.

She watched and she smiled.

Her children were growing up.

And she didn't want to think about what that truly meant.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

The man grinned as he set up the last on his traps.

A cage underground for the one who controlled the air.

A solid, airtight, cell for the one who controlled fire.

A cell in the air for the one who could raise the dead.

A simple, pair of handcuffs for the one who could see it all.

He'd get them. Then he'd show them just how powerful he was.

And there would be no Peregrine to stop him.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

The device on her belt beeped and Jewel Portman immediately locked eyes with each of the members on her team.

They politely (or just a bit brashly) excused themselves from the children they were helping and quickly ran to the underground lair and changed into their superhero outfits.

"What do we have, Afterlife?" Invisible Bandit questioned, sliding over to the other's station.

"It's Mad Doctor; he's released Hollows in the main square. Monkey's there too, and Freeze." Afterlife replied, spinning around and standing, pulling on his black mask.

Invisible Bandit nodded. "Flame, Aero, run recon. Scan the perimeter and if there are more, let me know. Oh, and take care of Freeze and Monkey while you're at it," she ordered.

Aero nodded and Flame Prince's hands sparked.

"Afterlife, stick with me. We'll run the Hollows off to the less populated parts of town, and then end them."

Afterlife's grin was sharp, scary, and dangerous. It sent shivers down her spine.

"Let's go!"

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Flame Prince lit his hands and sent a plume of fire towards Freeze. He tossed a few balls of flame towards him for good measure to send him running.

Aero laughed, sending tunnels of air sweeping around Monkey's feet, knocking her around and keeping her down.

They looked at each other and nodded, standing back to back with twin smirks and watching the minions run away.

There was a laugh and both heroes whipped around.

Mad Doctor stood high above them on a broken beam. He was the picture of calm, a smile on his face, hair wild, and hands relaxed.

"You've made good time. That's for sure. No one has ever sent my minions running that fast." the man chuckled.

Flame Prince lifted up his hands, sparks flying off his finger tips. Twin balls of highly compressed air swirled in Aero's palms.

Mad Doctor clicked his tongue, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Now, now. That's no way to treat your elders." He laughed and suddenly, Flame Prince's fire went out and he swooned.

"Aero? What's happening?" he groaned, falling to the ground with a grunt as he lost balance and consciousness.

"Flame!" Aero cried, catching the younger hero and sliding to her knees with a gasp. She checked the ginger over, brushing his bangs back and placing her palm on his forehead. His skin was cold and he shivered.

Her eyes blazed, a storm brewing in the ocean pools, "What have you _done_?" Her voice cracked like lightning, harsh and cutting, it roared like thunder, rumbling and ear-piercing.

Mad Doctor laughed. "Don't worry, Aero, it's nothing bad. Just a minor freezing pellet so he can't use any fire. So he won't fight back."

Aero's eyes went wide. "No, you can't do that, you'll kill him!" she cried, suddenly afraid.

You see, there was a small problem with Flame Prince's inner fire. He was timid and shy, so his fire wasn't as big as it was supposed to be. So if he froze too much, got too cold, his inner fire could go out and he could quite possibly die.

"No, I've studied all the right temperatures and how cold he needs to be before shutting down and such. He won't die; just have a bad cold for a while." Mad Doctor replied with a wave, and then he frowned. "However, getting blasted with another freezing pellet will be fatal. So unless you'd like his death on your conscience, I suggest you surrender and come with me."

Aero hesitated, lips parting to tell Mad Doctor off, but then she felt the ginger Omega in her arms shudder and she pulled him closer; pressing her forehead to his and rubbing his arms, hoping to create some kind of heat.

Flame Prince's breathing was shaky and uneven, he was _almost_ too cold. Aero pressed a warm kiss to his forehead and then pulled him up with one hand around his waist and one of his arms around her shoulders. "Alright."

Mad Doctor smiled a fanged grin. Two down. Two to go.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

One thing Mad Doctor knew was if you want to control an Alpha you threaten their Pack or Mate.

For Invisible Bandit, he'd need to subdue Afterlife before he did anything.

Mad Doctor wasn't stupid, he had eyes and he knew a Mating Mark when he saw one. He knew that if he managed to check, he'd likely find that the Mating Mark on Afterlife's neck would likely be a perfect match of Invisible Bandit's bite pattern.

So, as difficult as it may have been, he'd have to be quick about subduing the hero. He knew very well how strong Afterlife was, and how quick Invisible Bandit could be when Afterlife was threatened.

A content sigh pushed passed his lips. This was going to be so much _fun_.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

The Invisible Bandit knew that her partner was a strong person. She knew that he could take care of himself, that he was extremely capable. She also knew that despite that, Afterlife had the tendency to get himself into more trouble than he could usually handle.

Raising the dead? No problem.

Handling a Hollow? Not a big deal.

Handling five or six Hollows while simultaneously keeping track of/alive roughly sixteen skeletons and watching Invisible Bandit's back so she didn't get killed? Much more of a problem.

"How much longer, Bandit?" Afterlife asked through a hiss.

"I'm almost done!" she replied, clipping the last wire and tearing out the core of the bomb.

"There!" she turned, seeing Afterlife struggle against a Hollow with a sword.

Afterlife had apparently needed to deal with this one himself, none of the skeleton's had come to his aid, most of them busy with the other three Hollows, the others laying on the ground with their limbs torn and reanimated hearts ripped out of their chests.

The Hollow with the sword was bearing down on Afterlife, using brute strength to its own advantage. Afterlife's arms trembled as he tried to keep the Hollow from stabbing him in the neck. One of his arms was crossed over the other, blocking the sword on his metal black wrist protectors. The other arm was held up by the Hollow's hand around Afterlife's wrist.

Invisible Bandit chuckled. "Need some help?" she asked.

"I've got it." Afterlife grunted, eyes never leaving the empty space where the Hollow's eyes should've been.

Invisible Bandit leaned back, crossing her arms and waiting, knowing that all it would take to turn the tables was one single opening.

Sure enough, Afterlife found his opening and pushed off one foot, bringing the other up and driving it into the Hollow's stomach and as the Hollow's sword hand came down, Afterlife brought his other hand up, stabbing the Hollow's unprotected skull.

Black sludge covered Afterlife's knife and front as he was dropped gracelessly to the ground. He groaned and Invisible Bandit stepped gingerly over the Hollow's body to help her Mate to his feet. "Are you alright?" She asked.

Afterlife chuckled as he accepted her hand. "Yeah, I'm alright." he replied, pulling himself to his feet. "Thanks."

Invisible Bandit grinned and nodded, pulling Afterlife in for a hug. It was reciprocated briefly, just as long as it took Afterlife to marginally relax, before the Omega was pulling back with a sigh.

They nodded to each other and began walking back to meet up with Flame Prince and Aero.

An evil cackle stopped them dead in their tracks and both groaned, then turned, Invisible Bandit with a throwing knife ready and Afterlife with his hands up and ready to call forth another undead skeleton as dark, inky black surrounded them.

"Do I finally get to meet the famous Invisible Bandit?" asked a new voice.

Afterlife glanced to his partner, but Invisible Bandit had no clue.

Neither of them noticed a shadow creeping up behind them.

Invisible Bandit did notice when two hands shot out and locked around Afterlife's waist, carrying him into the shadows.

"Hey!" she shouted, chasing after her Mate, but finding only a building where he once stood. "You bring him back!" Bandit looked around with harsh blue eyes, looking every bit the Alpha she was.

There was a laugh from the shadows around her, and Bandit was reminded of the darkness Afterlife had once caused when he'd tried to summon too much at once.

That had ended up with Afterlife being unconscious for three weeks.

Bandit hoped that didn't happen this time, it was scary enough when it happened the first time; she didn't need another three weeks of worry and stress and anxiety.

"Poor Bandit. She can't go one minute without worrying about Afterlife," the voice echoed through the darkness.

"What have you done with him?" Bandit snarled.

The voice chuckled and the darkness warped. From it, appeared Afterlife, stumbling as though drugged, which was entirely possible.

"Afterlife!" she cried, rushing forwards.

Afterlife looked up, eyes wide and pupils blown. His lips parted, but the confusion was visible; he _saw_ the mask on Bandit's face but he couldn't remember why she wore it. He started to speak, managing to get out a whispered beginning of Bandit's real name before he was gone again and Bandit hit a wall once more. She growled, banging her fist against it.

"Come quietly, Bandit," The voice spoke, "And he won't get hurt."

"I'll come with you. But I want to see him at all times." Bandit allowed her voice to take on a more desperate tone, so she might be able to get her way.

"Oh, very good. Alright, let it never be said that I'm not heartless." the voice faded and the darkness warped again. Afterlife was returned to Bandit's arms.

He looked up again, sluggish and groggy. "J-... B-Bandit." He mumbled.

He'd seemingly worked out what they were doing and where they were.

Bandit pulled Afterlife tighter against her. "Shh. I'll get us out of this, I promise." she murmured, stroking his hair gently.

There was something like a purr that came from Afterlife's mouth and Bandit knew that he _must_ be drugged. This would _never_ happen (under the circumstances) if Afterlife where himself.

"Follow the trails of light, Bandit. They'll tell you where to go." the voice said, and the darkness warped a third time to make a path.

"C'mon, buddy. One foot in front of the other." Bandit mumbled, transferring Afterlife from her front to her side.

They walked a while before they reached some kind of black van. The back opened and two henchmen stepped out.

One held out his hands to take Afterlife and Bandit wanted to snap and snarl. But she figured that this man didn't have to be so gentle and she was grateful for the brief breather.

Much as she loved him, Afterlife wasn't light when he was dead weight and as strong as she was, carrying her Omega for a while when he couldn't support himself wasn't a picnic.

She stepped up into the van and the henchmen gently laid Afterlife next to her.

She looked at them and they gave her brief nods. Bandit nodded back, gathering Afterlife into her arms and settling his head on her lap.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Afterlife woke up in a cell.

He didn't open his eyes, but he knew. He could tell. He also could tell it was high above the ground. Why? Because when he was on the ground, he could sense every dead thing for miles out, even in a room of steel.

In the air, his powers were muted and he couldn't sense much at all.

That made it dangerous for him and those around him. He could summon something that he couldn't control.

Afterlife opened his eyes and blinked the blurry vision and grogginess away.

Below him, there where people arguing. He could just make it out.

One voice was a softer, gentler tone and even if he was blind he'd know the owner of the voice anywhere. It was Bandit.

The other he'd known since he was six years old. It was sharp and harsher and he wanted her to stop and see sense. Her shouting was ridiculous. It was Aero.

When he'd finally had enough, it had been fifteen minutes and another, much softer voice that was completely run over by the other two had joined the argument. Flame Prince.

"Hey!" he shouted, getting up to his knees and clinging to the bars with cold fingers. "If you're going to shout, do it later! We still need a plan out of here!" he looked down and is amazed at how high up he was.

There was at least twenty feet between him and the ground.

"Afterlife!" called Bandit. "You feel alright?"

"I feel like I've been drugged, thanks." he replied. "Why are you yelling?"

"Aero's upset that I can't get her out. She doesn't like her underground cage." Bandit replied, "She wants out badly, but as you can see," chains rattled and Afterlife's attention was drawn to the cuffs around Bandit's wrist that keep her pinned to the floor, "We're _all_ pretty unavailable."

Afterlife glanced toward Flame Prince. He was shut inside a clearly airtight cell that looked suffocating. It likely was, Flame Prince looked pale and his breathing was kind of shallow.

"Do they intend on killing us?" he asked, looking back at Invisible Bandit.

Bandit shook her head. "No, but if we don't get out soon, they might just change their minds."

Afterlife nodded. _What's the plan, Bandit?_

 _Talking here now? Why not out loud?_

 _Who knows who might be listening, Portman? At least here, they can't listen in._ Even from several feet above the ground, Afterlife could still feel the smile.

 _Fair point. We don't want to go shouting the plan all over, so I'll communicate down here and relay everything back to you. Alright?_

Afterlife nodded. _Yes. I'll be waiting. I'm certainly not going anywhere._ _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Twenty minutes later, no one had a solid plan. The villains couldn't block their powers, but they could apparently make them difficult to use.

Afterlife had eventually given up, laying back on the floor of the cage and closing his eyes. He was keeping an ear on the words floating through the Bond, but mostly he was drifting.

Bandit could tell; she had spent years learning how Afterlife worked. Years learning mental patterns, voice tones, eyebrow quirks, and such. Every unspoken word, every quirk of the lips, every twitch of an eyebrow, Bandit knew Afterlife better than anyone else.

Right now, Bandit knew that Afterlife was on his last leg. They were all tired, all upset. All four of them were quite done with this situation.

No one liked being pinned down and/or trapped. Those specific four heroes hated it even more.

Bandit sighed. "Are they planning on boring us to death to you think?" she asked out loud, relaying the question up to Afterlife through the Bond.

She heard a light scoff from above him, felt the pull at the Bond and amusement spiraling towards her as clearly as she felt her own boredom.

 _Seems like it, doesn't it?_ Afterlife asked.

Bandit put her head against the cuffs, the cool metal feeling nice against her skin. _You are not joking._

Flame Prince was getting paler and Aero wasn't happy about that, and still unhappy about her forced confinement, so she was twice as irritable.

"Anyone have any ideas yet?" Bandit questioned, not looking up.

"Nope." Aero replied.

"Nothing." Flame Prince added.

 _I could summon something, but you know the dangers of that._ Afterlife sounded as bored as Bandit felt, which happened to be a bad thing. Afterlife got very unpredictable when he was bored.

 _Well. Can't be any worse than the mess we're in now. Do you think you can contain it?_ Bandit asked.

 _Yes_.

 _Then do it. I'll let Aero and Flame know._ "Aero, Flame, I have an idea," she continued in hushed whispers, conveying the plan quickly and efficiently.

"Will Afterlife be able to hold it? He's already had a battle today, and I know summoning without a heart is difficult enough for him." Flame Prince bit at his lip, wondering and worrying.

"He'll have to be able to. At this point, it's our only way out." Bandit replied.

Aero and Flame Prince glanced at each other and nodded. "We're ready and willing." Aero told him.

 _Alright. Try it._ Bandit sent up to Afterlife. _Good luck._ _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Alma was worried.

The Go Team hadn't been back for supper that night, which was odd unless the call they got was in the middle of or before their dining, and it was getting later and later and honestly it was getting ridiculous. If her kids where this late then something was wrong.

As far as Alma knew, the four would never do something without telling her.

She knew that their communicators had gone off, alerting them that the city needed them.

Alma headed down to the hidden lair beneath the house, down to the place the Go Team used for tracking and information.

She looked around, hoping to find something easily accessed.

The Go Team had passwords on many of their screens and computers because the younger children would wander in and mess with the controls.

The big center screen flickered on as she walked past it and brought up a recent article.

Alma wondered what made this article so special. She knew her kids had reprogrammed some software to scan news clips, news articles, and so on for keywords regarding villains like _Mad Doctor, Minions, Freeze, kidnapped, break in, robbery,_ and other such words and phrases so they could get to the crime scenes quicker and be more efficient heroes.

Alma scanned the article and suddenly found out why it popped up.

 _Breaking News:_ _There's still no sign of the Go Team after the battle with Mad Doctor._ _Witnesses say the Mad Doctor approached the Alphas of the team and spoke to them, making the people wonder if our heroes are really heroes._ _"All I saw was black, then there was Invisible Bandit and he was arguing with something that I didn't see," speaks one witness. "Then I saw Mad Doctor high above the darkness and he was talking, but I couldn't hear him. Invisible Bandit said "I'll come with you" and that's all I heard. I saw Mad Doctor gesture to someone and the Afterlife came stumbling out of the darkness and that's it. That's all I saw."_ _Another reports seeing Aero "standing over Flame Prince and looking up at Mad Doctor with hatred in her eyes."_ _We have no news regarding the whereabouts of our four heroes and while we hope they're all okay, we also wonder if our heroes want to return._ _Until then, stay safe, Go Team, whereveryou are. You may be missing, but we still need you. Come back soon._

Alma's eyes caught.

 _You may be missing._ _May be missing._ _Be missing._ _Missing._

Alma's eyes widened.

It was _happening._ _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Jewel was beginning to get restless. Being chained to the floor was no fun anyway, but being held there against your will under threat of killing the people closest to you...

Not good.

She knew that her Omega, Enoch, was doing everything in his power, but it wasn't easy for him to Summon something he couldn't feel beneath his feet.

She would ask how it was going, but she knew from experience that all that would do was likely get her mentally yelled at.

Enoch knew Jewel worried over him, that was established years ago after a battle went _terribly_ wrong, so they'd come up with a compromise for this because Enoch had told Jewel early on in their relationship that he didn't handle 'over protective' well.

Their compromise was that Enoch would keep the link open and let his emotions flow through the Bond so Jewel knew he was okay and Jewel would do her best to accommodate his wish for her not to be so overprotective.

So, for now, all she could do was wait.

She focussed on the Bond and the emotion coming through it.

There was agitation at their situation and because Enoch was so high up. There was the usual restlessness that came with being caged. There was a kind of calm that came with intense concentration.

It was twenty minutes before any of that changed.

Finally, with a soft growl, Enoch's frustration came floating through. _This is absolutely ridiculous. It shouldn't take this long for me to find something._ A sigh. _I think it's the drug messing with my powers._ Jewel knew it very well could've been, there were underground rumors of Mad Doctor toying with some chemicals in order to see if he could enhance a Peculiar's powers. Or take them away completely.

 _It's alright. You tried. That's all we can ask._ Jewel replied.

 _Well, I can try one more thing, but I'll need your help._ There was hesitation.

 _What do you need?_

 _In order for this to work I need more power than I can give on my own right now. I'll need more strength than I can currently provide._ _You need my strength too?_ Jewel asked.

 _Yes._

Jewel focussed her entire mind on the Bond, giving everything over to Enoch, trusting him completely.

There was a moment of gratitude, then the ground rumbled and a skeletal hand ripped out of the ground.

Jewel panted as the being came fully from the ground. With her energy zapped, she shook her head. Jeez, if that was how she felt now, then she could only _imagine_ how Enoch felt any time he over taxed himself.

Her energy slowly returned as the _thing_ Enoch had Summoned lowered the cage by the lever on the far wall.

The bars where ripped off and Enoch staggered briefly before shaking his head and stepping out of the cage. He narrowed his eyes at the air tight cage. The creature heard a silent command and it moved at his will.

Enoch pulled a lock pick off the belt around his hips and set to work on the cuffs around Jewel's wrists.

"Thank you." he murmured as the cuffs came loose.

Jewel smiled. "You're welcome." she replied.

Oliver pried open the lock and set Emma free.

The four looked at each other for a moment. "Alright, Fearless Leader. What's the plan?" Emma asked.

Jewel's mind moved lightning quick.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Alma was scared. She didn't know where her four oldest kids where and it was terrifying.

Alma had always known that when Barron came back for her, he try to go for her kids.

That was why she'd tried so hard to make sure they where prepared because she couldn't keep them from the dark that was coming but she could give them a fighting chance.

She paced around her bedroom and wondered because that was all that she could do at the moment.

The latch on her belt blinked and beeped with a message and she paused. It could be her kids, but it could also be Barron.

She quickly raced to the panel by her bed and opened it, pulling out the mask she hadn't used since she retired to look after Peculiar kids.

They used to call her the Peregrine Falcon, Keeper of Time. Now, she was just Miss le Fay, mistress of her Home.

Alma sighed, steeling herself and closing her eyes. None of that mattered now, her kids where in danger. She breathed in, then out, and slipped the mask on over her eyes.

The adhesive stuck firmly to her skin and she held up her wrist. The message was from Afterlife.

Was it really him?

She accepted the call with a quick tap of her pointer finger and thumb. "Afterlife?" she asked.

A man with white hair and even whiter eyes grinned back at her with a mouth of fangs. "Peregrine! Hello, how are you?"

"Barron." Alma replied coldly. "What have you done with Afterlife?"

"Would you believe me if I told you he gave me his watch?" Barron asked.

"No."

Barron laughed. "I didn't think so. I've just contacted you to tell you I have Afterlife and all your little Heroes right here in my lair. You're welcome to come see them, if you'd like."

Instinct told Alma that it was a trap, but she didn't need instinct to know that. She'd fought with Barron long enough to know that he wasn't offering an invitation.

"Oh?" she questioned, "Are they safe? Have you harmed them?"

"Now, Peregrine, I am _hurt_ that you think I'd harm a hair on their heads!"

Alma narrowed her piercing, steel blue eyes behind her mask.

Barron dropped the act. "Come soon. Come alone. You know where to go. 24 hours, Peregrine. Or I'll kill them all." The video cut out and Alma's eyes watered.

Her kids where in danger. Her eyes narrowed once more and she blinked away her tears. She called for Horace.

"Yes, Miss le Fay?" he asked, appearing at her side.

"I'm going out. I don't know when I shall return. I need you to look after things until myself or the Go Team returns. Do you understand?"

Horace nodded. Alma smiled. "Take care of them, yes?"

Horace smiled back and nodded again. "You can count of me."

Alma nodded. "Good."

Horace took his leave and Alma turned back to her panel and pulled out the Peregrine suit.

Barron was going down.

Alma would make sure of it this time.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Oliver was quiet as he watched Emma and Jewel go over the plan.

He knew what he was to do. He was to help Enoch find the computer.

Oliver took his role very seriously when the task was up to him, because when the task fell to Oliver, it meant that Enoch was overtaxing himself and Jewel wouldn't be able to look after Enoch herself.

Enoch's protest fell quickly from his lips, just as expected, but a glance from Jewel, a soft call of his name, and Enoch was falling silent, sighing, and nodding once.

Oliver smiled as Enoch's eyes fell to him and Enoch nodded back, both understanding what that meant.

Oliver would do his best not to crowd and hover and rush. Enoch would try very hard not to snap and growl and get frustrated.

Because both of them knew that if Jewel couldn't look after Enoch herself, it meant that she was going to do something possible suicidal and may not make it back.

Enoch was never happy with it, but no Omega could deny their Alpha for very long.

"Bandit?" Enoch asked, voice uncharacteristically soft.

The Alpha paused at the door and gestured Aero through. "Yes, Afterlife?" Bandit asked, coming to stand in front of her Omega. "Is there something you don't understand?"

"No, I understand the plan perfectly, I just..." Enoch sighed and did something that surprised both Oliver _and_ Jewel (if the look of shock on her face was anything to go by).

Enoch threw his arms around Jewel's neck and _hugged_ her. Hard.

"Be careful, yeah?" Enoch whispered after a bit.

By this time, Jewel had wrapped her arms around Enoch's waist. She smiled and whispered something into his ear.

Oliver turned away, giving them what ever privacy they had left.

He felt Enoch's skeleton lean over him after a few moments and a dull thud made Oliver turn.

For the first time, Oliver got a good look at the 15 foot creature Enoch had created.

It was gruesome, like something out of a horror movie.

Enoch sat on the skeleton's left shoulder, holding the collar bone with pale white fingers.

Oliver climbed up onto the skeleton's hand and it lifted him up to the opposite shoulder.

It started walking, heading for a destination Enoch had set.

Oliver began his job, doing as Jewel had asked, even as he slipped from Oliver to Flame Prince.

Flame Prince glanced at Afterlife and silently checked him for signs of overexertion.

When he saw Afterlife was fine, Flame nodded to himself and focussed on the mission.

 _Peculiar~Pecuiar~Pecuiar_

Aero (Emma Bloom) was easily irritated.

Like right now.

Her Omega had nearly been suffocated and frozen to death because of Barron.

She also knew that there had been a civilian nearby and they'd likely seen the whole thing.

Well, Aero didn't know _exactly_ what the person had seen, but she hoped it wasn't twisted into lies.

She was also fairly irritated with Bandit at this moment.

She'd been waiting for two minutes and sixteen, seventeen, eighteen seconds for the Go Team's "Fearless Leader" to come out.

When she peaked in to see what was happening, she felt her irritation fade.

Because she'd known Afterlife since she was six years old and he didn't hug people for no reason.

Aero didn't know her friend like Bandit did, but she knew him well enough to know that he was scared.

She didn't blame him. _Aero_ was scared too.

As she stepped back and waiting more patiently for her Leader, Aero took up defensive position. Nothing was getting past her without a fight.

Bandit came out after five more minutes and nodded to Aero.

Both of them slipped into the shadows and ran down the hall.

Room after room, they checked for the monster known as Mad Doctor. They made sure the way was clear for Flame Prince and Afterlife.

They managed to find the place where the minions got fixed up.

Aero wanted to destroy the whole place, but Bandit didn't let her.

"Just one shot, they won't feel a thing," she growled.

Bandit grabbed her arm. "That's not how we work, Aero. We don't attack unless provoked and we don't hit people who can't defend themselves. Be it because they don't know how, they're too weak, or simply won't." Blue eyes glared into grey, "Or does everything Falcon taught us mean nothing?"

Aero backed away with a huff.

She didn't mention that just twenty minutes ago Bandit was thinking about doing just as she had.

Mostly because she knew that Afterlife wouldn't have let her think that for long.

"Well, well." A voice behind the pair spoke up. "The birds have broken out of their cages."

Aero whipped around and tightly compressed balls of air swirled to life in her palms.

Bandit didn't think, she simply pulled a knife from her boot and turned, throwing it before her mind could aim.

It didn't seem to matter, Bandit's knife went soaring through the air and buried itself in the Mad Doctor's arm.

He cried out and ripped the knife out, pitching it to the ground and covering his bleeding arm with a hand.

Aero had wondered for a while if Mad Doctor had preformed the same experiments he'd done to the Hollows on himself.

Bandit gasped. Aero didn't blame her, knowing Bandit saw the same black sludge that kept the Hollows alive dripping from Mad Doctor's arm.

The man looked up, eyes murderous and Aero was glad that Flame and Afterlife weren't there.

"You shouldn't have done that." Mad Doctor whispered.

Aero most definitely agreed.

It wasn't her who was irritated now.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Enoch was fine. He was _fine._

Sure there was sweat running down the back of his neck and his mind wasn't running as fast as it usually did, but it was fine.

 _He_ was fine.

Or, at least he was, until a burst of overwhelming pain hit his mind and he screamed.

The skeleton stopped dead in its tracks and doubled over, as if in pain.

Enoch nearly fell off the shoulder of the skeleton. He would've too, but Oliver jumped around to get to Enoch and grabbed his shoulders.

The pain receded and Enoch was left panting from the phantom feeling.

"Afterlife?" Oliver asked.

"Something's happened. Something went wrong. Bandit's in trouble."

 _"Turn. Go the other way. Find Jewel."_ Enoch commanded.

The skeleton followed Enoch's silent commands.

Enoch felt sick to his stomach. What had happened that the pain was that bad?

 _Jewel?_ He asked. _Jewel, are you alright?_

There wasn't a response.

 _"Move faster,"_ Enoch snapped at the skeleton.

The skeleton complied, completely complaint, docile, and helpless against Enoch's will.

 _Jewel, please answer me, I need to know you're okay._ He pleaded through the Bond.

He could still feel her, a constant presence in his mind, something that was always there, so he knew she wasn't dead.

 _Jewel, please,_ he begged.

 _I'm alright,_ came the shakey reply.

"Jewel." he breathed, silently urging the skeleton to go faster.

 _Don't come for me Enoch, I'm fine. You don't need to put yourself in danger for me._

 _Like Hell! I'm on my way, Jewel, please. I'm so close, don't send me away._

 _Enoch..._ Jewel trailed off and Enoch got worried again. _No, no, none of that. I'm alright, really. Just be careful when you come this way, alright? We ran into Mad Doctor and Receptor_ **(1)** _and they're_ not being friendly. The Bond went fuzzy for a bit, then came back clearly.

The skeleton turned a corner and ran into Hollows that were easily defeated, they only came up to the skeleton's waist.

Enoch commanded the skeleton to move forwards, demanding that it move faster.

It rounded a corner and Enoch's heart stopped.

Jewel laid on the ground gasping. Emma was a few feet away unconscious, Mad Doctor stood over Enoch's Alpha with a bleeding arm and a murderous look.

Enoch's spine snapped straighter and his eyes glowed a harsh, dark black.

Enoch noticed Oliver shudder, but paid no mind. It was the price people paid for staying so close to him when he used so much of his powers, cold chills, feelings of dread, feeling heavier.

Mad Doctor shuddered and turned. He caught sight of the skeleton and it's master sitting on the skeleton's shoulder. "Afterlife," he laughed, spreading his arms, "Welcome. I wasn't expecting you for another few moments."

"What did you do?" Enoch snarled, voice warping and deepening, channeling the voices of the dead.

"Now, this is not what it looks like."

"What _did you_ do?" Enoch shouted, hard edged and sharp and dark and Mad Doctor visibly shuddered.

 _"Take Oliver down. Let him go to Emma."_ Enoch commanded his puppet and the skeleton complied with his demand.

Oliver hurried over to his fallen Mate and began brushing back her hair, Enoch turned his attention to Mad Doctor and his own Mate.

A low level of pain radiated from Enoch's stomach, an approximate of where Jewel was injured.

Enoch's mind set shifted from civilian to hero and Afterlife took to the scene, scanning the room.

When he found what he was looking for, he paused and examined it.

 _Yes._

 _This_ he could work with.

Time seemed to speed up around him.

A scream, a crunch, a cry of his name.

Enoch felt like he was watching from above.

He couldn't stop, he _couldn't stop_.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

In all her time as a hero, Jewel had seen many unusual or strange things.

A Hollow with higher intelligence, Miss le Fay's super hero outfit from her days as the city's protector, Horace's underpants.

But she hadn't seen anything like this.

Thing was, she wasn't even sure what was happening.

When Omegas where under stress or feeling extreme emotions, their eyes would glow a pale blue.

Enoch's where perfectly black.

Maybe it was because of his powers, when he used them in massive amounts, Enoch's eyes did glow pure black at times, but it didn't feel like it was Enoch's power.

When Enoch would use copious amounts of power, the air grew cooler and feelings like dread and fear would wash over anyone in the room; a side effect of being so close.

The air wasn't any cooler, nor was Jewel feeling scared or anything of the sort.

So what in the _world_ was going on.

Suddenly, Enoch moved and Jewel understood.

Puppet **(2)** had arrived as Mad Doctor's back-up.

 _Damn it!_ Jewel gasped in her mind. She tried to get up, but every time she moved, a new wave of pain hit her and she'd curse Receptor's existence all over again.

"Flame! Is Aero up?" she called to the ginger haired male, looking over that way.

Flame Prince shook his head. "No, she's still out cold."

"Get her up if you can. If not, see what you can do about Receptor and Puppet." Jewel growled, steeling herself.

She began to stand, pushing herself up on shaky legs, pushing past the pain Receptor was causing. She chuckled darkly. "I've faced worse pains than your pathetic power, Receptor. Come and get me!" she taunted, gathering up the feeling and pushing it away.

She was Alpha and her Pack was in danger.

Time to be a leader. _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Alma cursed under her breath as she hit another dead end.

"I don't know how the kids do it anymore." she murmured to herself.

Perhaps it had been too long since she'd been in the field, this was her third dead end tonight.

She needed to find Barron's lair. Soon.

Her kids were in trouble.

Alma le Fay turned to go back the way she came and ran directly into a woman with a monkey's lower half. "And you are?" she asked the lady.

"I believe the media calls me 'Monkey'. Hardly a good name." the lady replied.

Alma chuckled. "Yes, I've had my share of the media. They called me Peregrine some days, on others it was Falcon. They never seemed able to make up their minds."

Monkey threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, I like you. Pity we're on different sides. I've been sent here to stall you."

Alma nodded. "Yes, I understand."

Then Monkey screeched and flung herself at Alma. Alma ducked and brought her arm up and around, crashing it down onto Monkey's neck, immediately throwing her to the ground.

Monkey chuckled, "I think it would be a waste to fight you. Perhaps, another time."

Alma narrowed her piercing eyes. "What ever would Barron think?"

"I'll take care of Barron, Alma le Fay, let me worry about him. I've never agreed with his experiments and now he's taken it too far. Maybe it's the mother in me, but I'm not okay with him hurting kids. They're about three blocks from here, on your left, big building with Hollow flags on the front, you can't miss it. Go and save your children, Alma le Fay." Monkey smiled, then she paused. "I'll let you knock me out. Be quick."

Alma hesitated for a moment, then Money chattered impatiently, "You're wasting time."

Alma nodded. "Alright. Thank you."

Then, the Ymbryn's hand cured into a fist and hit Monkey's left cheek. Monkey went down like she was a puppet with her strings cut and Alma shook out her hand.

"Damn. It's been a while." Alma sighed, then she knelt down and brushed a hand over Monkey's face. "Thank you." she whispered, then she stood and rushed away.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Barron thought for sure he was done for when Afterlife showed earlier, but then Puppet had signalled from behind him and Barron had to hold back his laughter.

It was unsettling to see Afterlife's glowing back eyes because that meant he was about to unleash Hell on whoever the focus of his ire was, but then his face went lax and the eyes stopped glowing and Puppet had taken control.

The skeleton Afterlife had come with collapsed in a pile of dust and bones.

"Afterlife?" cried Flame Prince, "Afterlife, what's wrong?"

"Afterlife's not here anymore," the hero rasped slowly, but it wasn't his voice in which he spoke.

Puppet came from the shadows, coming to stand next to his captured human.

Invisible Bandit finally managed to struggle to her feet and her growl echoed through the air. "What do you think you're going to accomplish?" she snarled.

Barron cackled. "What else is there, Bandit?"

Puppet raised his hand and, like a zombie, Afterlife's hand followed. Afterlife spoke on Puppet's command. "Immortality will taste all the sweeter."

Bandit growled again, "You'll never get away with this."

Barron laughed again, "I think I will, Bandit. Would you like to see why?"

Barron turned to Puppet and nodded. Puppet grinned, wide and fearsome, and leaned down to whispered in Afterlife's ear.

In response, Afterlife mechanically took one of the knives hanging at his belt and brought it to his neck. Bandit cried out. "Don't!"

There was a flicker of recognition in Afterlife's face, but the knife didn't slow and Afterlife didn't stop.

"Please, don't!" Bandit begged.

Barron smiled, jerking his chin at Puppet.

Puppet flicked his wrist and Afterlife dropped the knife.

"Please. Please, don't hurt him." Bandit pleaded.

Barron cackled. _I've got you_. "I'm sure we can come up with something."

"You'll come up with _nothing_ , Barron!" cried a new voice.

Barron's head snapped up and he snarled. "No!"

Because Peregrine, Keeper of Time, stood in the rafters of the building.

And everything would come crumbling down.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Emma woke up suddenly to Oliver shaking her and Jewel yelling.

When she opened her eyes, Oliver stood over her with worried sea green eyes and Emma had never been more in love. "Hey, Oliver."

"Emma." Oliver breathed, dropping down and hugging the Alpha tightly.

"When this is all over, you and me are taking a vacation. We'll go to the beach. We can even have that chicken with the spices that you love so much."

Oliver laughed through his tears and got up. Emma _hated_ the beach, but knew Oliver loved it. "I'll hold you to that."

Emma grunted as she climbed to her feet. "What's going on?"

Oliver's eyes sparked with a familiar flame. "When we got here, Afterlife kind of lost it, seeing you unconscious and Bandit in pain. His eyes glowed like they do when Hell's about to be unleashed. Then Barron brought Puppet in to play, now Afterlife's under his control, Bandit's not exactly the happiest Alpha in the world, and-"

"You'll come up with _nothing_ Barron!"

"Peregrine's here." Oliver finished.

Aero tilted her head from side to side and heard her neck pop.

"Let's get to work then."

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Enoch was having what you'd call an "out of body experience".

He could see what was going on, know exactly what was happening, but he couldn't control anything.

It was very... frightening to find that he was a passenger in his own mind.

He could see the fight, could feel his own body moving against his will, but he could do nothing about it.

Fear was not something that often touched the brunette boy's mind, but when he heard Puppet's command, _"Take your knife and slit your throat,"_ he couldn't stop himself from taking the knife at his belt and Enoch _panicked_.

 _Stop me. Help me. Don't let me die._ Enoch screamed in his head, trying to call forth a skeleton, but nothing was happening.

He was completely at Puppet's mercy and _Puppet_ worked for the Mad Doctor and _Mad Doctor_ couldn't have cared less if Afterlife lived or died.

Enoch heard Jewel call for Barron to stop and Puppet's voice echoed in his mind, _"Drop the knife."_

Suddenly, there's a flurry of noise and he finds himself helpless to Puppet's commands as he is directed this way and that.

 _"You want to fight Bandit, don't you?"_ whispered the voice in his head.

And just like that, his knives are in his hands and he's running at his Mate and he can't bare to watch but he can't look away. _Please, I love her._

 _"Kill her."_ the voice whispered and Enoch was forced to obey. _Forgive me._ Enoch sincerely hoped his lover would.

His knives clashed against the amoured bands on Jewel's shoulders. "I know you're in there Enoch. Can you take back control?"

If Enoch was able, he would've snapped back about how, "if I could don't you think I would've by now?"

Jewel chuckled a bit and Enoch felt his knives make another swing that was blocked. "Don't you glare at me, that was a legitimate question." with a flick of her wrist, Enoch was disarmed in the right hand. Silently, Enoch was relieved.

"I know you have it in you to throw this off. You've just gotta fight past it."

 _"What are you waiting for, puppet? Kill her."_ whispered the voice and Enoch growled in his head.

"Hey, I heard that growl. Keep that up and you'll be free." Jewel said, blocking another hit.

Enoch thought. Then he pushed. The walls around his mind that refused to give; pushed back.

 _Not this time._

Enoch pushed against those walls with everything in him and he heard Puppet growl as he pushed back hard.

If there was ever anything Enoch hated, it was being confined.

So, he pushed back _harder_ and something in his mind snapped back into place.

Puppet screamed and fell to the ground, clutching his head. Mad Doctor yelled, "Oh, for crying out loud. I'll do it."

Mad Doctor came forward, towards Jewel, but Enoch snarled. "You won't touch her."

Mad Doctor narrowed his eyes. "You're stronger than most, I'll give you that. Not many can throw off Puppet's influence."

Enoch's eyes flashed. "Not many people are angry Omegas."

"I'll deal with you in just a moment, Afterlife." Mad Doctor chuckled, turning to Jewel and morphing his hand into an axe.

Enoch growled, then jumped on Mad Doctor's back and started pulling on the man's hair and snarling. "You won't _touch_ her!" Enoch screamed.

But then, Enoch was thrown to the floor and all he could feel was _pain pain pain._

He didn't know how long he'd laid there trying to breathe, but suddenly, there was a guttural scream and Enoch felt sick.

He struggled to his feet, looking around. Then he saw it.

Jewel Portman, _his_ Jewel, was grasping Mad Doctor's arm and gasping.

Because impalled on some kind of sword that Mad Doctor had turned his hand into and lifted about six inches off the ground was Jewel Portman.

Enoch felt it like the blow had been struck to him instead.

Suddenly, he couldn't get any air into his lungs and everything was covered in a haze of blue.

He screamed, painfilled and agonized and inhuman.

Everything went dark.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Alma had seen many Omegas go Feral in her time on Earth, but never had she seen anything like Enoch O'Connor going Feral when Jewel Portman had been stabbed.

As the young woman fell to the ground, Enoch's entire body went completely rigid and his eyes flickered to blue, then black, and back to blue.

He screamed; a high, unearthly, _inhuman_ sound, and the ground below their feet cracked.

Skeletal hands pushed up from the cracks and hauled their bodoes from the graves. They spread out and Barron twisted around looking at all of them. "Well, this I was not expecting."

He grinned, "I could use someone like you on my team, Afterlife."

In responce, Enoch's glowing blue eyes narrowed and the skeletons reacted to a silent command. The all converged on Barron and attacked.

Alma was distracted by Receptor, who was incapacitated quickly.

Alma turned her attention to Oliver and Emma, who where patching up Jewel. She hurried over. "How is she?"

Oliver looked up. "She's in and out of consciousness. I've sealed the edges of the wound and she'll live, but she needs stitches."

Emma finished tearing her hood into strips and tying them around Oliver's scarf, which was keeping pressure on the wound.

"That's all we can do. We really ought to get her to Teagan **(3)**." Emma added in, tying off the hood.

Her blond hair brushed her shoulders and she pushed it away from her white mask when it blinded her.

Alma nodded. "We'll get her there. Right now, I need to know if she's awake enough to speak with Enoch."

Oliver gently tapped on Jewel's face. "Bandit? Jewel, are you awake? Oh, please be awake, Enoch needs you."

Jewel moaned softly, pushing Oliver's hand away as she sat up. "What the heck hit me?"

"You'll be fine once Teagan sees to you. Right now, your Omega has gone Feral and we need him back." Emma told the Go Team's leader.

Jewel groaned. "How does he do that? He's always getting himself into trouble."

Then she struggled to her feet and stumbled over to her Feral lover.

Alma watched as Jewel gently set her hand on Enoch's shoulder and spoke to him quietly.

Enoch slowly untensed his body and the glow of his eyes flickered, then dimmed as if a pair of lights was being slowly turned off.

Enoch slumped over and into Jewel's arms. The Alpha smiled, "Now, what did I tell you about going Feral?"

"It's dangerous, please don't." Enoch mumbled sleepily, sagging in Jewel's grip.

Jewel pressed her lips to Enoch's hair as the skeletons he'd Summoned mechanically stopped and then fell to the ground in heeps of bones.

Alma wasted no time in pouncing on Barron and putting his hands in Peculiar-proof zipties.

Barron growled. "I thought I had you this time."

Alma laughed, high and amused. "Barron, you never learned. My kids are more than toys. They are family and a team. You never could've beaten them."

Barron huffed, then fell silent.

 _Peculiar~Peculiar~Peculiar_

Jewel gently ran her fingers through Enoch's fluffy brown hair.

They'd made it to Teagan so Jewel could heal and get back home with no problems and Jewel didn't hesitate in getting her exhausted friend to sleep.

Enoch didn't raise any protest. He was mostly out of it, so he may not have even known what was going on.

Jewel gently changed him out of his hero suit and into a pair of Jewel's sleep pants.

Jewel giggled to herself, the fact that Enoch could fit into her clothes was amusing.

She slowly lowered him down to his bed pulled the covers over him.

She sat down on the bed as Enoch's eyes slipped closed and his breathing began to even out.

Jewel sighed through her nose and leaned down, kissing Enoch's forehead and lingering, breathing in his scent.

"I love you." she murmured softly against his skin.

He shifted, stirred, then eased out another brearh as his eyes fluttered open again. "Stay."

Jewel hummed and nodded. "Okay."

She laid down and cuddled up to Enoch, who sighed contentedly and snuggled into Jewel's embrace.

Happy that they where both okay and she wasn't in any danger any longer, Jewel closed her eyes and followed Enoch to sleep.

 **(1) Receptor is the Hollow that followed Emma and Jake out of the theater near the ending of the movie version. His power is causing anyone he can see to feel extreme amounts of pain. In order to give you a example, think period pain.** **If you haven't felt it, then lucky you. Please ask someone who has.** **(2) Puppet is the other Hollow that followed Emma and Jake, his power is that he takes over people's bodies by touch, think Jericho from Teen Titans.** **(3) Teagan is one of the Peculiars that lived in Miss Avocet's (sp?) loop before Barron raided it in the 2016 movie.**


End file.
